CH 7

After breakfast, Zion led me outside by the hand.

“Duke’s family is the oldest lineage in the Kingdom. This is why Duke’s domain also has its own history. The clans that use such huge plots in the capital can be counted on one hand.”

I blinked my eyes and nodded.

The land in the capital was worth its weight in gold. I remembered reading about it in a novel.

Zion smiled as he looked at me with a golden balloon in his hand.

This is the first time I have seen this butler smile.

“One can safely say that the widowed Duke lives in the largest house in the capital.”

“Yes. His house is full of all kinds of luxury. There are statues there. There is also a fountain.”

“All of them have come down to us from ancient times.”

Duke’s lands were like a different world. There was a small forest near the house and a lake behind.

There were also many outbuildings.

“Who lives in these houses?”

“Peasants and artisans used to live there. But now there is no one. Oh, do you see this old temple?”

“Yes.”

I saw a very old temple.

“There is a place where Duke collects his precious ‘collections’, so you shouldn’t go there without a reason.”

I swallowed. I already knew what exactly was located in the basement of this building.

‘Collen’s ‘workshop’!’

“…This carriage, is it coming toward us?”

The carriage was approaching at high speed.

The carriage, apparently ignoring the well-paved road, was galloping towards us across the Duke’s garden.

“This is a carriage from the temple.”

Zion muttered as if regretfully.

Soon the door of the white carriage opened wide, and a stunning beauty with dark hair jumped out from inside.

“Oh my God. What are you doing here? Do you meet me?”

“…Obviously, I just saw the carriage rushing towards me.”

Marianne was unhappy with this.

“Rumors are already circulating in town that our Duke has adopted a daughter.”

” You mean already? We have blocked all articles.”

“Word of mouth works faster than newspapers. The attention of young girls in the kingdom is riveted to every movement of Duke, the greatest man in our land.”

My eyes went round.

That was… I know Collen was a very popular guy. He doesn’t even do anything himself, but enough to have a playboy image.

“Lady Rose found out about this news and almost died laughing.”

Who is Lady Rose? I hear this name all the time.

Then, Marianne looked at me.

“Oh my, these clothes…”

“Ah…!”

It was the dress that Marianne wore when she was young.

“I borrow Marianne’s clothes until a tailor visits me.”

“Isn’t it a little too big for you? All those old-fashioned dresses of mine. This was the one I wore when I was digging in the garden.”

“Did you?”?

Marianne’s clothes seemed as precious as the clothes of an angel. But it turned out that it was an eyesore to her.

“Is Duke at home?”

“He is busy and out of town.”

“Ah, that’s great. Then I’ll take this girl from you.”

Marianne grabbed my cuff.

I was still holding the balloon and blinked in surprise.

“You must get permission from Duke to go anywhere with her.”

“Your’re right. But I’ll ask his permission later. I knew it would all turn out like this. Such a sweet little lady entered our house, but she doesn’t even have the most necessary things. We’ll get you some new clothes and come back. ”

“…”

“All you have to do is ask Collen to come to the dressing room. Anyway, he’s dealing with the people there right now in the city center, isn’t he? If he return, tell him to come to us. I’ll be in the dressing room on 3rd Avenue. And how old are you?”

“I’m nine years old, madam.”

“Madam? Oh god damn it. Who do you take me for? Just call me Marianne. After all, when you’re nine, you’re a grown-up lady! You’re at an age where women should choose what they need, not men’s eyes.”

Marianne’s words were so harsh that I involuntarily looked away.

She had an incredibly beautiful appearance, but her demeanor was a little childish.

Zion let out a low sigh.

“Okay. Then there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“Let’s go quickly!”

She smiled and take me in the carriage.

“Can I take my balloon?”

Seeing the golden balloon I was holding, she nodded. I hugged it carefully so that it wouldn’t burst. This was my very first gift, so I will take care of it properly.

“You are such a cutie. Even though these rags are hanging on you. After all, I can make out a diamond even among the mud,” Marianne said with a smile. “Do you know who I am?”

“Yes. You are a very beautiful sister of Duke, who works at the temple…”

That’s all I knew about Marianne. This was briefly described in the novel.

Marianne was delighted with my answer and grabbed my hand with a laugh.

“Damn it. You speak so sweetly. Yes, I have a small post in the temple. It’s funny there. I played cards with the high priests last night.”

Playing cards in the temple. Doesn’t that mean gambling in the temple?

“I had so much fun playing them.”

I decided to ask her.

“A small post?”

Probably a simple priest?

“I am a saintess. This is such a special position.”

Wait a minute. What? A saintess?

Is this the same Marianne I know? A special position? She doesn’t look very much like a saintess. Marianne giggled at my shocked face.

“Are there many new dresses? I can’t wait. When we get there.”

With these words, she opened a square box, took out a cigarette and lit it.

‘I heard she’s a saintess…!’

A saintess who smokes. Uh. Although there is no laws here prohibiting her from smoking, but…

While I was in shock, the carriage drove on.

‘Is being a saintess just a job that anyone can do?’

Marianne puffed up the smoke peacefully.

It just can’t be…

I was so surprised.

I was startled when I coughed and Marianne rubbed the cigarette into the case to put it out.

“Oh my God. I am so sorry. Jade is familiar with the smell of cigarettes since childhood…”

“It’s okay.”

I shook my head.

“Sorry. I won’t smoke next to you.”

Marianne touched my head with her hand that didn’t hold a cigarette.

“Are you surprised honey?”

It was a relief for me.

‘I don’t think she is a bad person.’

My heart fluttered when Marianne was so considerate of me.

Soon the carriage entered the city and entered the main road. I looked out. There were many people on the street.

‘This is a toy store. And over there, this is the market!’

The toy store seemed like a great luxury to us beggars. In the past, when we approached him, the owner immediately chased us away. He didn’t want us to hang around and scare off clients.

One day the owner forgot to turn off the lamp in the shop window to leave the store.

Blond dolls with blue eyes, teddy bears, dogs and soldiers, toy swords, railway.

It was like heaven on earth when we sneaked in there to watch at dawn. I stayed up all night just to stand in front of that window.

‘Ah, if it’s with Marianne, maybe…?’

Wouldn’t it be possible to go into a toy store and touch a doll? It was just my imagination. Just a bold thought.

“Do you like sweets?”

Suddenly Marianne spoke.

How could I say no?

Marianne burst out laughing when she saw my sparkling eyes.

“Ahaha, I won’t ask any more. Okay. New mission, first we go to the bakery.”

And Marianne took me to a patisserie, decorated with flowers outside.

All the colorful candies and parfaits she bought had a popping taste.

I carefully took the parfait and ate it. The balloon was tied to a chair.

” Oh, you’re eating well. I can’t wait to see the family’s reaction. Eat that too, ah.”

Marianne shoved a cookie into my mouth. My cheeks turned red as I quietly opened my mouth.

After tasting the sweets, I walked down the street, holding hands with Marianne.

I bought a ribbon, hat and underwear. Time flew by quickly. Finally she stopped in front of a building on the second floor.

“All ladies get their clothes tailored in Seville! I need a lot of dresses. And even if you are nine years old, you will have to visit many places, because you are now in the Duke’s family. Evening dress, casual dress, dress for a restaurant, for a family dinner…”

“Welcome to us. Oh my! Saintess.”

Upon seeing Mariane, the entire staff gave up their work and ran to us.

I got nervous knowing they were going to kick me out, but luckily things didn’t turn out that way.

“A distinguished guest has arrived. Welcome.”

It was then that I realized for the first time that Marianne was a famous person.

Among the employees in a row, the clerk who seemed to have the highest status stepped forward.

“What dress would you like to pick up today? We have a new Obel silk.”

“Pick up this clothes for this girl today, not for me.”

Then his gaze turned to me. All their looks studied me.

“Who is this young lady…”

“Ah, new family member.”

“What clothes can I offer you?”

“Everything. Everything that a lady may need, everything. Duke pays for everything.”

“Okay. So the budget… How much silk can I show you?”

“Are you asking this question when I already told you about the Duke?”

The clerk flinched at Mariane’s words.

“I’m so sorry.”

“100 gold coins as the first budget.”

“…!”

“I’m going to spend all this money somehow or other today, so just let me spend it.”

I counted in my head what those 100 gold coins were.

The salary of one maid is 25 silver coins per week. This is what I read in the book.

If you imagine 100 gold coins in the context of my previous life.

It’s about like 100 million… maybe like a billion?

My mouth opened widely.

This madness must be stopped. At that moment, it was my only thought.

‘If I spend all that money…’

This can turn into a really big disaster. This was my first crisis in my new life. The crisis must be nip in the bud.